Baltimore City officer arrested in Towson

An armed, off-duty Baltimore City police officer was arrested in Towson early Saturday and charged with two counts of reckless endangerment. Baltimore County police said that Matthew David Daugherty, 28, posted $75,000 bail after the incident. Police said they were called to the Rec Room bar in the 500 block of York Road in Towson after an employee called 911 and described a disturbance.

"The complainant told 911 that an intoxicated off-duty city officer was being very belligerent and kept saying that he had a gun," the county report said. Baltimore County police said that at the time the tavern was closing, an employee took car keys from the man, who was thought to be too intoxicated to drive. The man had exited the bar through its back door before Baltimore County police officers arrived.

The police report said officers found the suspect in a parking lot at Delaware and Pennsylvania avenues. "Two male victims then approached officers and told them that the suspect had pointed a gun at them," the report said. County officers found a holstered Glock 22 handgun on the suspect. He was then arrested. The county officers said he was identified "as an off-duty Baltimore City police officer and the firearm was his departmentally-issued handgun."

Baltimore City Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that when his department was notified of the arrest, Daugherty was suspended. "Our internal affairs investigators are assisting County Police in their investigation and in addition to the criminal charges, he will face internal disciplinary proceedings," Guglielmi said. "While there is no assumption of guilt, the allegations contained in the police report are reprehensible and we have zero tolerance for any activity which undermines the integrity of this agency or the public trust that we work so hard to earn."

After posting bond, Daugherty was released. A Baltimore County statement said that after the investigation is complete, according to its policy, a report will be sent to the Baltimore County Liquor Board for review.